Trait-based approaches advance ecological and evolutionary research because traits provide a strong link to an organism’s function and fitness. Trait-based research might lead to a deeper understanding of the functions of, and services provided by, ecosystems, thereby improving management, which is vital in the current era of rapid environmental change. Coral reef scientists have long collected trait data for corals; however, these are difficult to access and often under-utilized in addressing large-scale questions. We present the Coral Trait Database initiative that aims to bring together physiological, morphological, ecological, phylogenetic and biogeographic trait information into a single repository. The database houses species- and individual-level data from published field and experimental studies alongside contextual data that provide important framing for analyses. In this data descriptor, we release data for 56 traits for 1547 species, and present a collaborative platform on which other trait data are being actively federated. Our overall goal is for the Coral Trait Database to become an open-source, community-led data clearinghouse that accelerates coral reef research.

Drilling predation is frequently studied in the fossil record. Less information is available from recent environments, however. Previous studies have indicated that drilling predation is usually higher in the tropics but little research has been undertaken in high latitudes. To address this hypothesis, we examine muricid-drilling predation along a 1,000 km transect in southern South America. Drilling frequencies ranged between 3% and 36%, and they were not correlated with the abundance of the predator (Trophon geversianus) or the abundance of its preferred prey. The only locality with exceptionally high predation (36%) was a heavily anthropogenically impacted site. Trophon exhibited different drilling strategies on different prey, and edge drilling represented 27%-56% of the drill holes in mytilids. Drilling frequencies were not correlated with latitude or water temperature. Our results, however, show that drilling frequencies are indeed lower at high latitudes compared to the tropics, and these data provide a recent baseline to compare and interpret spatial variability in muricid drilling predation from past environments. The fact that dead-shell assemblages seem to be recording human-related impacts in this system strengthens their relevance as potentially valuable conservation tools.

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Invasions by shell-boring polychaetes such as Polydora websteriHartman have resulted in the collapse of oyster aquaculture industries in Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. These worms burrow into bivalve shells, creating unsightly mud blisters that are unappealing to consumers and, when nicked during shucking, release mud and detritus that can foul oyster meats. Recent findings of mud blisters on the shells of Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas Thunberg) in Washington State suggest a new spionid polychaete outbreak. To determine the identity of the polychaete causing these blisters, we obtained Pacific oysters from two locations in Puget Sound and examined them for blisters and burrows caused by polychaete worms. Specimens were also obtained from eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin) collected in New York for morphological and molecular comparison. We compared polychaete morphology to original descriptions, extracted DNA and sequenced mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase I [mtCOI]) and nuclear (small subunit 18S rRNA [18S rRNA]) genes to determine a species-level molecular identification for these worms. Our data show that Polydora websteri are present in the mud blisters from oysters grown in Puget Sound, constituting the first confirmed record of this species in Washington State. The presence of this notorious invader could threaten the sustainability of oyster aquaculture in Washington, which currently produces more farmed bivalves than any other US state. open Scientific RepoRtS | (2020) 10:3961 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60805-w www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ a brittle layer of nacre that walls off the burrow 4,10,32-34 . The worm continues to expand this burrow beneath the thin, calcareous layer produced by its host; as this space fills with detritus, mud, and worm feces, a "mud blister" is formed 33,35 . Blisters can be irregular in shape and darkly colored, compromising the presentation of oysters served on the half-shell (only the cupped or left valve is used for serving the oyster) 36 . Moreover, if a blister is nicked during oyster shucking, the mud and feces will foul the oyster meat, rendering it inedible 3 . This is particularly problematic for oyster-growing areas where a large proportion of production goes to the half-shell market.In addition to their detrimental impact on aquaculture production, heavy mud worm infestations can also impact shell integrity, growth, and survivorship of mollusc hosts 37 . When infested with Polydora ciliata Johnston, the gastropod Littorina littorea (Linnaeus) has significantly reduced shell strength relative to uninfested individuals, making the infested gastropods more vulnerable to predation 38 . Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) infested by the polydorids Polydora hoplura Claparède, Polydora cornuta Bosc, and Boccardia semibranchiata Radashevsky grow more slowly and have poorer body condition than do uninfested oysters 39 . Glycogen, protein, and lipid content relative to the shell cavity volume are lower i...